RULE NUMBER ONE! NO Identifying Features
by TangoBravoZulu
Summary: Just how can five grown men handle being at the rough end of their fathers RULES all the time, without a little rebellion? Warning: Language, Nudity.


No identifying features

STANDARD DISCLAIMER; DO NOT OWN THEM, but so wish I could have one, just occasionally. Thanks to the Andersons for giving us such a wonderful world to play in.

This is the second fanfic I've posted. A little happier with this than the last. Would appreciate any comments.

Mostly Movie verse, but Gran is still around, just couldn't let the old lady go.

Brief summary: Just how can five grown men handle being at the rough end of their fathers RULES all the time, without a little rebellion?

Rated M for LANGUAGE (Yeah I know, Gran doesn't like it either), DRINKING (Dad's scotch – again), NUDITY (Well why not? I mean have you seen these guys.), and a very brief reference to Virgil's prior private life, (He wishes).

Hope you like. TBZ

No identifying features.

It had been an incredibly hard rescue that had required all five of the brothers on the ground. The filth and slime of the mud had oozed into every conceivable crevice of the destroyed buildings in the way of the flow.

Scott dragged himself towards Thunderbird One, his uniform unrecognisable, black with mud and he didn't want to know what, he couldn't detect the smell any longer, but suspected that, that was by virtue of his olfactory senses having closed down in defence rather than that the smell had dissipated. In the distance he could see Thunderbird Two with his brothers also moving slowly loading up equipment, preparing the leave the disaster site.

Most of the town in the line of the land slide had been destroyed and many lives lost. If not for the assistance of International Rescue, many more would not have survived, but it was with heavy hearts that the men of International Rescue left the site; one lost life was one too many for these men who had seen too much in their young lives.

Scott hoisted himself into Thunderbird One and stripped down to his shorts, father wouldn't be impressed, but better that than spread the filth throughout Thunderbird One, making the clean up that much harder. He'd just run on audio with base and with any luck father wouldn't cotton on. Slouching in his seat he flicked open the audio/visual channel "Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two, how's it going over there Virg."

Virgil's tired face appeared in the screen, he also was down to his shorts and t-shirt, "Just about set here Scott… Hey! Gordon don't you dare come in here in that state, go clean up! … Sorry Scott!"

Scott sighed, "What's up?"

"The dynamic duo are spreading that crap all over the place…" John also in his skivvies, appeared behind Virgil, "Its OK I've locked them in the head, told them I'd let them out once they had cleaned up." John grinned tiredly at Scott, he squeezed Virgil's shoulder in support "Com'on lets get out of here, I'm bushed." Scott and Virgil nodded and began pre-flight checks.

Quickly they were in the air heading home, for a long, long, long, shower, dinner and much needed sleep, preferably in that order.

After cleaning up the brothers gathered in the lounge to debrief, "OK boys let's have a brief run down, we can go over the details after you've all had a good nights rest. Any major issues or problems?" Jeff looked at his field commander; Scott shrugged "Everything went fine, so far as can be expected. The site was a real mess, very hard to negotiate." The others nodded in agreement. As Tintin took notes each of the brothers gave an account of the incident, Jeff Tracy querying issues as they arose. Before long dinner was on the table and the family gathered to relax and discuss matters other than the recent assignment.

As the sun set on Tracy Island each of the young men headed towards their room, each eager for a quiet nights rest.

Dreaming:

The sound of a dogs whimpering could be heard in the quiet of the destroyed building, Scott struggled over the rubble in search of the animal. Animals weren't high on the list to be rescued, at least not when there were many more people in need of aid, but Scott had never had the heart to see any creature in pain, he couldn't leave this obviously scared animal where it was. As he lifted a chunk of ceiling out of his way he saw the animal laying beneath more building rubble. Beside the dog a child lay crumbled like a forgotten doll. Scott rushed to the child's side, a boy no more than six or seven clutched the dog, his face buried in the dog's coat. "Hey there! Can you hear me?" He asked quietly running his hands over the child, he noted that the boy's legs were trapped under some of the rubble; he would need help getting the boy out. Scott raised his wrist COM," Scott to Virgil, I need a hand here!"

Virgil responded immediately, "What's up Scott, where are you?" Scott relayed the information and then continued to check over the child, the dog licked his hand as he ran it down the child's side. "OK boy, you been looking after your little friend have you?" Briefly Scott gave the dog a once over and was saddened to see that the dog was also trapped under rubble from the hip down.

Virgil arrived shortly and they made quick work of clearing the rubble. As they rolled the child over he woke with a squeal reaching for his companion, "Benny, Benny… Where's Benny?" he cried. Quickly Scott calmed the child, reassuring him that the dog was still there. Still the child reached for the animal, as Scott lifted the boy out of the debris away from the animal he noted that the rear end of the dog was a mess, how the animal had survived as long as it had was miraculous. He looked up at Virgil and nodded towards the dog. Virgil looked, paled and turned sad eye's on Scott, "We can't leave him like that." Scott nodded and handed the child over to Virgil, "Here take him out to the triage centre. I'll deal with the dog." Virgil nodded silently and turning made his careful way out of the destroyed building. Behind him Scott knelt down beside the animal, patting it and reassuring the animal that his companion was being taken care of. He remembered the old dog that his grand parents had had on the farm, very similar to this animal, and just as loyal. Sighing heavily he pulled his pistol from its holster at his side. "I'm sorry boy, I wish I could do more for you, but I just can't." He put the barrel of the gun at the base of the dogs scull behind its ear, patting its shoulder all the while; he pulled the trigger and released the animal from its pain.

Scott woke with a start, the sound of the gun shot still reverberating in his head… Taking a life was not something he had had to face since his days on the farm with his grandfather and never at close quarters like that. "It was only a dog." He muttered to himself, "Only a dog…" Throwing the blankets off he rose grabbed his robe and headed out of his room. "No more sleep tonight…" he muttered, trudging towards the lounge.

In the lounge he found Virgil and John quietly talking over a bottle of their father's best scotch.

Scott stumbled towards them, "What are you guys doing up?" John looked up at his elder brother. "Same as you I imagine. Couldn't sleep"

Scott fell onto the lounge beside John reaching for the bottle and a spare glass sitting on the table, there were still two more glasses waiting. "Expecting the others?" Virgil smiled and raised his own glass, "After yesterday you have to ask?" Scott shrugged and took a swig from his glass, the liquid fire burning down his throat. "Ahhh…" he slumped back against the lounge, "So?" He looked at John then Virgil. Who looked at each other shrugging? Before anymore could be said, the sound of shuffling feet could be heard. Alan stumbled into the lounge with Gordon trotting behind him; Gordon always woke up bright no matter how little sleep he had had. He grinned at his brothers and switched on the lights. "Arrrhggg, GORDON! Shut those damn things off." Laughing Gordon turned the lights off and skipped over to the lounges, "So what's up!" He asked in a cheery voice. Alan collapsed next to Virgil glaring at his cheerful brother, "Tell me again why you didn't drown him at birth," he asked looking at his eldest two brothers opposite him. John smiled quietly, "Couldn't…" Scott replied, "He breaths under water!" All five brothers chuckled at the joke. "Sooo?" Gordon asked reaching for the bottle and filling a glass for himself and Alan, he held the bottle up offering it to the others, and at a nod he filled their glasses also. Putting the bottle back in the middle of the table, he looked around at his brothers all in various states of collapse, even Scott was not his usual upright self. "So? We just going to sit here or what?"

"What did you have in mind, it's the middle of the night, and if we wake Dad or Gran…" Alan trailed off, the penalty for waking Dad or Grandma didn't need to be discussed, it was intrinsic to the Tracy house hold.

"Could go for a swim!" Gordon's answer to anything and everything. The others flinched, "it's the middle of the damn night Gordon," Scott grumbled.

"So?" Gordon swigged back his drink with a wince. Standing up he headed for the pool deck. "Gordon, you don't even have your swimming trunks…" Virgil reminded him. Gordon swung around with a flourish. "Yeah but who's gonna know?" He flung his robe over a chair and yanked his shorts down, with a wild grin he ran naked out to the pool, diving in with a quiet splash.

The other looked at each other, "He's mad…" Scott shook his head. "If Gran catches him…" Alan grinned at the imagined repercussions. "Yeah, but it is the middle of the night…" John stood grinning looking down at his brothers, he threw back the last of his drink and shrugged off his own robe. "Your not!" Virgil looked up at his next eldest brother. With a grin to rival Gordon's, John also dropped his shorts and headed for the pool. "Dad will kill them if Gran sees." Scott stated. With matching grins Alan and Virgil looked at each other stood and started to strip off. Scott sat back thinking his brothers had really lost it. "Ahh, com'on Scotty.." Alan cajoled, "Relax a bit." Virgil and Alan dashed towards the pool, jumping in along with John and Gordon who had already resumed the game of volley ball that had been played before the earlier call out.

Inside Scott looked around the empty lounge, finished his drink and stood. "Oh well, if you can't beat them, join them." He stripped his robe and shorts and joined his brothers in the pool.

A rambunctious hour later all five brothers were stretched out around the pool on the sun lounges, the warm night breeze drying them. Stretching Gordon stood and went to get the glasses and what remained of the bottle of Scotch. He filled each of the glasses and handed them around. Taking a glass, Scott looked at his brothers, "You know, this was fun." Alan grinned "Yeah, sometimes it pays not to do as you're told… You know get one over on Dad."

Scott smirked and raised his glass, "Here's to that!" He was feeling more relaxed than he could remember in recent memory.

The others slouched back in their lounges sipping at their glasses of scotch, enjoying the quiet company. After a few moments Gordon giggled… "Did you see that guy yesterday with all the tats?" The others shrugged looking a Gordon in question. "What guy?" "Oh there was this great big guy I pulled out. He was huge and really mean looking with all these tattoos. You know skulls, dragons that sort of thing. But when I took his shirt off to bandage a rip across his back I found this tattoo, it was a cute little kitten; you know those 'littlest pet shop type kittens. Just didn't fit." The others looked at each other in wonder, "He said he did it on a dare." Gordon chuckled to him self again. "Wonder what it feels like…Tattoo's I mean. You reckon it hurts."

"Don't even think it Gordon." Scott warned. "You know the rules. AND I'll quote" Scott mimicked his fathers deep tones, "Rule number one, NO. IDENTIFYING. FEATURES."

"Yeah, but if it was somewhere that no one else could see…" Gordon mused.

"Tintin's got a tattoo," Alan muttered.

"What!" Virgil, Scott, John and Gordon all stared at their youngest brother. "Tintin has a tattoo, No Way!" Gordon crowed.

Blushing Alan looked around at his brothers suddenly realising that he had spoken aloud. "So what is it?" Gordon asked.

"Yeah, and more to the point WHERE IS IT!" John asked with a smirk.

"Um…" Alan cringed, "If Tintin finds out, I'm never going to see it again. So you can't say ANYTHING. Right?" Alan looked seriously at each of his brothers; their eyes alight with humour each nodded in assent and leaned forward in anticipation. "OK!.." Alan took a big breath, wondering if you was going to regret this, but knowing there was no way he was going to get out of telling them the details. If he didn't say anything, then Gordon and possibly John would try to find out for themselves. "It's a little pink love heart about this big…" he held his fingers about half an inch apart, "it has 'A & T' in the middle." The other brothers grinned at each other. "Yeah and where is it…" John prompted. Alan looked at Scott in appeal, grinning Scott shrugged, "You started it." he said unsympathetically. Sighing Alan placed a finger towards his own groin, it's about here, behind where her bikini sits.

"Yeah!" Gordon crowed again.

Each of the brother flopped back on their lounges, grins spreading across their faces. They wouldn't be looking a Tintin in quite the same light from now on.

After a while of quiet contemplation Gordon sat up again, "If Tintin can have a tattoo, then why can't we?" he asked the group.

"Because it's the rules." Scott stated.

"Oh com'n Scott, haven't you ever wanted to do something just because it was against the rules."

"No!" Scott stated confidently.

"Yeah, what about Mary Lou's sixteenth birthday?" John questioned.

Scott stared at his brother in disbelief, "I don't believe you brought that up?"

"What?" the other laughed, "Com'on John, what about big brother and Mary Lou?"

Scott glared at John, who smirked back. "John…" Scott's tone was laced with warning. "Change the subject."

Taking the warning John shrugged and looked at his other brothers, "Well maybe another time."

Slumping back in disappointment Gordon grumbled. "I still don't see why we can't get a tattoo. Dad wouldn't need to know. It would just be. I don't know… a statement or something."

"Yeah, but if no one else can see it, then who is it a statement too?" questioned Virgil.

Gordon sat up again, "Well it would be like a statement to ourselves, you know, like we're individuals that we don't just belong to International Rescue. It would just be us that knew. Yeah, we could each get one and no one else would know, but we would. And, " Gordon was on a roll, his voice filling with excitement, "and like it would be a secret that Dad didn't know and when ever he gets, you know, all huffy and full of rules, we could just think, 'Yeah Dad", 'cause we'd know that there was one rule he couldn't make us follow." He looked around at his brothers, "Don't you see, he dictates everything, what we do, where we go, who we see, even who we can get serious about. It's not fair that we can't even do something to our own bodies with out his say so. We are adults, aren't we?" The other looked around at each other. Rebellion was in the air.

"I don't know Gordon, Dad has a point with the identifying features thing. It for security, our security." Scott said.

"Yeah, but Scott, it wouldn't have to be anywhere that the public could see, would it." John stated, "Like Gordon said, it would be for just us to know."

Scott continued to shake his head in concern. "And if we all do it then what can Dad do if he finds out. Ground us all?" Virgil added. Scott looked with surprise at his usually sensible brother.

"We could all get the same thing," Alan commented, "Pick something we could all live with."

"What like?" asked Scott, beginning to come round to the idea. Of all of them he had probably given up the most over the years for his Dad's rules. "And where do we get it done, I don't mean where on us, but where do you go, how long does it take."

"Yeah and what do they use, it's not needles is it?" John asked with a queasy look.

Gordon grinned "Leave it all up to me, I'll organise it."

"Oh no, we haven't agreed yet." Scott lifted his hand in protest.

"Yeah we have," Alan disagreed, the other nodded.

"OK, I'll go with it in principle," said Scott, "but we still have to sort out what it will be, where it will be, and when and how we get them done." He looked carefully at his brothers, "You know once we do this there is no getting out of it." He glared at them all, "If we agree. Then ALL of us do it. Right!"

"Right!" four voices sounded unanimously.

As the remains of the bottle slowly disappeared thoughts on what would be a good subject for a tattoo were tossed around. "Nothing to do with International Rescue." Scott stated.

"No way, what would be the point of that." Gordon agreed.

"Nothing sissy." John added.

"No flowers then" Virgil smirked. John glared.

"How about 'MUM'." Gordon asked.

Everyone groaned, "Can you imagine if Dad found 'Mum' tattooed to our arses." Scott asked, the other winced in sympathy. "Nothing gross either, No skulls, snakes or spiders."

"And it can't be too detailed," Virgil put in, "If it's only going to be small about, what an inch, inch and a half tops." He looked around at his brothers for agreement, "It has to be simple."

"A Star?" asked John leaning back and looking up at the lightening sky.

"Typical" Gordon sneered.

"No, it could work," said Virgil, "It's simple, and, well, they could still be sort of individualised." Virgil looked at his brothers, "Well, I don't know, different colours or something?"

"A star," murmured Scott, "I like it."

"Yeah, Ok." Alan added.

Gordon shrugged. "Fine."

"Ok a star it is. Now where is it going to go?" Virgil asked. Everyone looked at any where but each other, suddenly conscious of their nudity. Standing suddenly Scott dashed into the lounge and grabbed his clothes. The other quietly followed, smiling bashfully. Virgil the last to enter the lounge carried the glasses and empty bottle into the kitchen. He was the only one that didn't seem to have a problem with his own nudity. "Com'on Virg. Cover up for pete's sake." John groaned.

Grinning Virgil reached for his shorts and robe. "What's you prob' John, jealouse of such a fantastic bod'?"

"Yeah, Right little brother!" John sneered.

"Break it up you two; we still have details to work out." Scott called as he set up the coffee machine. He looked at Virgil who was taking his time. "Don't you feel at least a little embarrassed with all us dressed." he asked.

"Nah…" grinned Virgil, "Used to it from life art classes, I used to sit around for hours in the nuddy…" a faraway smile passed across his face, "mind you, it got really HARD sometimes if there was a pretty girl in the class."

The others snickered. "OK any ideas where we are going to decorate ourselves." Scott asked.

"Well the obvious place is here," stated Alan turning and pointing to his rear end. "it ain't gonna show there is it?" Scott and the others nodded.

"Right a star on the right cheek, Right?" Scott questioned, ever the commander.

He poured coffee for each of his brothers as they gathered around the table.

"What about where we get it done, how, when and it has to be together, I'm not having one of you brats chicken out once I've got it done!" Scott stated with defiance.

"As if," Alan smirked.

"We wouldn't do that to you Scott," Gordon gave his most innocent look, truly dangerous.

"There's bound to be somewhere on the mainland, we just have to arrange for us all to get the time off together." John put in.

"That's going to be the problem." agreed Virgil.

The brothers were still contemplating the when, where and how to when Grandma appeared in the kitchen.

"Well what are you lot doing up so early?" she asked.

"Not up early Gran," Scott answered, "Up late," he yawned, "I'm going to see if I can catch a few Zs."

The other nodded in agreement a filed past their bewildered grandparent.

Several months later…

Scott sat at the controls of Tracy One going over pre-flight. Virgil sat beside him, while John hurried Gordon and Alan into the rear cabin. "Now son, remember you need to be back by dinner time tomorrow," Jeff reminded his middle son over the radio, "I know it's your birthday, but, emergencies can't just be put on hold." Virgil acknowledged his fathers statement and grinning at his eldest brother he asked for clearance to take off.

Once in the air Virgil turned to Scott, "I can't believe he's letting us go."

Scott grinned at his younger brother, "Yeah, so let's make the most of it!"

It had been a hectic few months, with International Rescue called out several times a week on some major disasters. The stress had been building and with Virgil's twenty fourth birthday just around the corner their Grandmother's had convinced her son to give the boys thirty six hours of recreation leave, but more to the point, they were going together, not just in the usual group of two or three, but all of them. Thunderbird Five had been switched over to automatic, and Jeff assured the boys that he, Brains, Tintin and Fermat could handle most emergencies. The boys would only be required if things got really busy.

John poked his head into the cockpit. "Well, are we still going through with it?" He asked looking between his brothers. Virgil nodded enthusiastically. Scott frowned and looked briefly over his shoulder. "Com'on Scott, you're not going to chicken out. Are. You." John asked. Sighing Scott grinned, "No I'm in, God help me."

With a pat on the shoulder for both his brothers, John returned to the rear cabin to reassure Gordon that all systems were go for 'Rule Number One! to be well and truly SNAPPED!'.

Once Tracy One had landed in Sydney Australia, the five Tracy brothers picked up the arranged hire car and drove to the hotel on the Foreshore of Sydney Harbour. Their rooms overlooked the famous bridge and in the distance they could make out the top of the Opera House and the city buildings.

Gordon pulled out the sheets of paper he had stashed in his pockets, the internet search of Tattoo parlours in Sydney. "OK we have a choice. I've got one in Manly, one in Parramatta and one in Kings Cross. So what do you think?" Gordon looked at his brothers eagerly.

"Gordon can we just get settled in first." Scott snapped.

Gordon threw himself on one of the beds, "Fine!"

The others unpacked bags while John got a pot of coffee on the go. "Now lets have a look at what you've got Gordo." John asked. He took the paperwork and read through the advertising. "OK, I'm going to call these two they are the nearest, if they don't pan out, I'll try the other." He looked up at Scott for confirmation that this was OK.

After a quick couple of phone calls, he turned to look at his brothers. "We have a slight problem, they seem to think it could take longer that we anticipated, especially as there are five of us." He looked around at the group. I figure we should split up. Two of us go to one place and the other three to the other."

"Oh no!" Scott answered, "No way am I going to do this without knowing for sure you guy's aren't setting me up."

"Oh take it easy Scott," Gordon groaned with a grin, "would we do that?"

"Yeah, YOU would."

"Easy solved Scotty, you don't trust the terrible duo?" John looked at his only older brother, who nodded adamantly, "Well then you go with them to one place, once they've had theirs done you can have yours done." Turning to Virgil he continued, "Virg and I will go to the other place."

"You're going to leave me with these two?" Scott asked in horror.

"Well… Yeah." John smirked.

"I've got a better Idea, how about we all go to the one place and just wait…" Scott replied.

John shook his head, "They didn't seem too pleased with that idea."

"Well this is one time where I think I won't have a problem letting the money talk…" Scott stated firmly. Standing he grabbed his jacket. "Which one is closer, if we are going to do this, then lets get it done." Impatient and in charge as usual Scott hustled his brothers out of the room and to the nearest of the Tattoo parlours.

As Scott had predicted the offer of a hefty bonus for staying late to do the art work paid off. When the Tattoo artist appeared to ask which of the brothers was going to be first, Gordon was unceremoniously pushed forward. "HIM!" Shrugging good naturedly Gordon followed the pierced and tattooed woman behind a curtain and into the back of the shop. A few moments later another young person of indeterminate sex and also heavily pierced and tattooed appeared in the front of the shop, "You waiting," they asked. The brothers nodded uncertainly. "Com'on then," the person turned obviously expecting to be followed. The brothers looked at each other, swallowing tightly Alan stood, "I suppose I'm next?" He questioned, his elder brothers all nodded tightly. With a sigh Alan followed the person into the back of the shop. A good hour later Gordon reappeared pale but a grin still very much in place. "OK who's next," he asked. Already looking pale, John stood and followed the young woman back into the shop. Gordon gingerly sat in the chair John had vacated, wincing slightly. "How was it?" Virgil asked, "Oh a synch." Gordon grinned, then flinched again as he moved in the chair. "Not a problem, doesn't hurt a bit."

Virgil swallowed and looked at Scott. "Why did we agree to this again?"

"I'm beginning to wonder." Scott whispered.

"Hey! You two aren't going to chicken out now are you?" Gordon's tone was threatening.

"No Gordon, we made a deal and we'll stick by it, won't we Virgil." Scott looked at his middle brother. Virgil nodded his throat too tight to speak.

Shortly Alan returned also looking a little worse for wear. The androgenous tattooed person following grunted "Next" and turned back to the rear of the shop. Looking at his extremely pale middle brother, Scott sighed and stood. "My turn!"

When Scott had returned to the front of the shop feeling very sorry for himself, he found three of his brothers sitting gingerly in the chairs. Virgil had yet to appear. He leaned against the window, not game yet to trust his rear end to a chair. 'Why do I let them talk me into these sorts of things?' he wondered to himself.

A half hour later a green Virgil appeared from behind the curtained divider and wove his way towards his brothers. The young woman came to the front of the shop with a plastic bag of products and a list of instructions on how to care for the new tattoos. Scott handed over his AMEX card signed the slip and followed his brothers outside.

"Right, who wants dinner?" Scott asked the five Tracy brothers looked at one another; for once their appetites were absent.

They returned to the hotel, after a quick stop at a pharmacy for pain killers. The ride in the well padded car was probably one of the most painful rides they had experience, and that is saying something considering the injuries they has sustained in the past. "Why does it hurt so much." Alan groaned. "No adrenalin" Virgil answered. "Oh." Alan murmured.

Once back in their suit the four younger brothers collapsed gently on the beds, Scott, big brother even in pain, handed out the pain killers with water. Then ordered a light meal to be sent to the room.

So the first night of freedom together the five Tracy brothers had had in four years was spent sleeping.

The following morning after breakfast, showers and dressing of sore backside, the five went sight seeing around the harbour. A ferry to Manly and a walk around the gardens before heading back to the island. The Tattoos weren't discussed. Each knew that they had fulfilled the bargain.

Grandma noticed that the boys seemed to be a little subdued and sat uncomfortably at dinner that night, but put it down to some excessive partying the evening before.

Two month later.

John was returning from TB5 for his birthday. Brains had agreed to cover for him for the weekend so that he could spend the time with his family. Birthdays were still something special for the Tracy brothers, even if you are turning 26 years old.

After a wonderful dinner and presents the five brothers decided to gather out by the pool. It was getting late and their father and grandmother had retired for the night. Alan said good night to Tintin and followed Virgil and John out the door. Scott went to gather glasses, while Gordon raided their father's liquor cabinet.

"Here's to John," Scott raised his glass in a toast to his brother.

"Yeah, here's to the old man." Gordon sniggered..

John swiped the back of Gordon's head, "Just wait, you'll be getting there too you know."

After a quiet few moments of companionship, Gordon; who can seem to bear the quiet, spoke up again. "Whose up for a game of Volley ball."

Virgil grinned, "No swimming trunks bro'."

"Didn't stop us before…" Gordon responded standing and starting to pull his shirt off over his head.

"GORDON! Dad's only just gone to bed, he could get up again." Scott hissed.

"You worry too much old man." Gordon replied, diving into the pool, naked. John caught a quick flash of darkened skin on Gordon's behind before as he streaked by, reminding him of their previous swim and subsequent escapade. With the pain gone and not being able to see the tattoo's easily, they had been pretty much forgotten.

John ran his hand over his own backside. Wondering what his brothers had ended up getting done. It hadn't been discussed since the event.

"So…" John looked around his brothers, the sound of Gordon splashing in the pool behind him.

"No! I'm not doing it again." Scott stated adamantly.

John, Virgil and Alan just grinned stripped off and followed Gordon into the pool. They fooled around for a while. While Scott sat back enjoying his drink in relative peace, he drifted his mind going over the last few assignments, looking for ways to do better, always trying to find ways to improve the operations.

Quietly his brothers snuck out of the pool, Virgil and Gordon on one side, Alan and John on the other. The silence was Scott's first indication of danger, before he knew from where the danger was coming he found himself, lounge and drink in the air above the pool, he seemed to hang for a moment before plunging into the water, fully dressed. His four brothers laughing uproariously dived in after him. Gordon came to the surface a few feet away Scott's glass in hand, empty of scotch but unbroken. "Well you're in now so you might as well strip." His anger dissipating quickly, Scott complied. Before long a Volleyball game was underway.

Their shrieks of laughter woke Jeff some minutes later. Half in annoyance and half in resigned wonder at the childish antics of his grown sons, he walked down to the pool deck to warn them to keep the noise down. He found them cavorting naked in the pool and one of the lounge chairs balanced precariously on the side of the pool, obviously having already having been dunked once. In shocked astonishment he stood until Scott noticed the shadow by the door, the sudden stillness in their eldest brother alerted the other of the impending explosion. "What the Hell are you doing?" Jeff growled "For God's sake get some clothes on before your Grandmother sees you." All five brothers instantly swam towards the other end of the pool and hoisted them selves out to reach their clothes. Five backsides faced their father with five not so identical tattoos on display. Jeff did a double take. 'No! Not his boys. They wouldn't, would they?' He thought to himself. In a daze he walked around the edge of the pool. "Boys line up." The brothers looked up in the process of pulling on clothes. "NOW!" Looking at each other they reluctantly stood and lined up in front of their father. Scott was the only one to have got on his shorts. The others where in various states of undress, shirts half on, short half way up. Gordon yanked his shorts the rest of the way and stood with his brothers. "Don't bother Gordon. Scott, Gordon drop them." Looking in concern at their father both men held the tops of their shorts. They were grown men, being ordered to drop their shorts was a bit much. Jeff Tracy growled "Now boys." Looking at each other they realised what it was their father had seen. "Oh SHIT!"

"LANGUAGE GORDON!" Jeff roared.

Scott and Gordon pulled their shorts down enough to reveal the tattoos and turned to show their father. Realising the problem the other three followed suit.

"Just what the HELL were you thinking?" Jeff roared, "No don't answer that, YOU weren't thinking, you couldn't have been."

Scott had had enough. Pulling his shorts up he swung around to his father. "Yes DAD we were thinking, we were thinking that we are adults and have the right to make a few choices about our selves and our bodies. If we choose to go and tattoo our whole damn bodies then it IS our choice." He looked at his brothers who were scrambling to get dressed. "This is our home as well, and if we can't relax and take it easy in the best way we know how, without upsetting everyone else, which we weren't, then it's not much of a home. You can't have it both ways Dad." Scott sighed his sudden anger draining. "Either we're your grown sons and this is our home and we have a choice of what we do to our selves and what we do outside of International Rescue, or else we are strictly operatives with no personal rights or privileges, and personally I think that sucks."

Jeff stood looking at his sons, his grown sons. He supposed that really none of them had gone through the real rebellion most teenagers did, they had been pretty easy going compared to his own rebellion. Sure their had been moments especially with Scott and Alan, but in general they had taken it all in stride. He'd thought he'd been lucky. Well it had come back to bite him now. Smiling and shaking his head he looked his sons over. "OK. I suppose I had that coming." Jeff grinned, "So you show me yours and I'll show you mine?" His sons looked at him in wondering surprise. "Deal?"

"Deal!" five voices echoed.

Jeff pulled the lounge away from the edge of the pool and sat. With a shrug Virgil turned and not having a problem with his own nudity dropped his pants again to reveal his tattoo, a childish five pointed star, outlined in black with yellow in it centre and the words 'twinkle, twinkle little star' in green script circling it. He grinned over his shoulder at his father and brothers, "The first song mum taught me to play on the piano." As Virgil sat Gordon stood, pulling his shorts low enough to reveal the tattoo, Gordon twisted enough to look at his own tattoo, a five pointed sea star in pale gold and greens, the detail on such a small tattoo was impressive. Gordon grinned proudly at his family no explanations needed.

John was next, shrugging he stood and turned his back to his family pulling his pants down to reveal a detailed shooting star, it's tail streaked with reds, oranges and yellows.

Scott was starting to feel a bit down, his brothers tattoos were so detailed, compared to what he had had done, oh well, might as well get it over with. Standing he pulled his short down and showed his father and brothers his own tattoo, a simple red circle enclosing a blue circle with a star shape in the centre uncoloured. "It's the emblem from the first plane I flew." He answered the unasked question on his brothers' faces.

Lastly Alan stood, taking a deep breath he turned to reveal his tattoo, a star shaped yellow Smilie, giving a wink and sticking out it's tongue. So very Alan.

After pulling his pants back into place Alan joined his brothers on the lounge chairs. "OK Dad," Scott smirked, "we showed you ours, now you show us yours. When did you do it anyway?

Blushing Jeff looked at each of his son's "That's what I said, wasn't it?" Jeff stood and turning answered his son, "I got it just after I joined the air force, when I was home sick." pulling his pants down, Jeff revealed his own tattoo. A circle of daisies surrounded beautiful script writing in a deep bluish purple was the word 'MUM'.

All five Tracy brothers fell off their lounge chairs laughing, blushing Jeff pulled his pants up and joined them.

The End.

16


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